The Gifts
by Sora-Yoshida
Summary: A week before Christmas, Morgan and Lucina's parents (Chrom and Robin) order them to stay at Ylisse while they travel to Regna Ferox to aid the Khans for an upcoming Risen attack. The siblings, however, have other ideas in mind. Join Morgan and Lucina in a journey as they try to discover what it truly means to be a part of Ylisse's bravest- the shepherds.
1. Chapter 1 - The Young Tactician's Plan

**The Gifts**

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><p><em>Before reading the story, I have a few things to address. In this story, Morgan and Lucina were born in consecutive years, a year after Chrom, Robin and the shepherds have defeated King Gangrel. This means that any of the events that happened in the game past King Gangrel's defeat didn't happen and are irrelevant to my plot. Also, Prince Marth (Lucina's persona) isn't a part of the story as both Lucina and Morgan are born normally and didn't come from the future. I also decided to divide the story into four different chapters.<em>

_Also, this entire story is a contest entry made for Fanfiction-Friends on DeviantArt. I will post a link to the Deviation once it's done. _

_Thank you for taking the time to read and I hope you enjoy!_

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><p><strong>Chapter 1 – The Young Tactician's Plan<strong>

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><p>A snow-haired boy holds a huge book in his hands as he sits on the couch next to his bed. <em>A Tactician's Guide to War<em>, the book title reads. The lad is awfully young to be studying such things yet is reading it with gleaming eyes and a thirst for knowledge in warfare. This young man is named Morgan. He is one of the two children of the Exalt of Ylisse, a kingdom that has seen peace in the last five years. Despite his father being quite the celebrity, Morgan has always dreamed to be like his mother, Robin.

A couple of years back, Chrom, then a prince, teamed up with a strange tactician whom he met sprawled across the grass in a random field. Little did those two know that what started as an unbeatable partnership would blossom into what Morgan and his sister Lucina grew up to see; love that has stood the test of time and the pangs of war.

_A tactician is the brains of an army. Although it may seem as if the position is the least dangerous, one would be a fool to underestimate the indispensability of a tactician. Despite being one in the backlines during battle, the result of war is hugely based on the strategies and tactical defenses and efforts made by the tactician._

Morgan is fascinated by the idea of tactical warfare; he remembers watching his mother formulating strategies that ended up winning Ylisse her peace as he carries on reading the book.

Just a few moments after he started reading, three loud knocks to the door send Morgan in astonishment, almost dropping the heavy piece of literature.

"Morgan!" a muffled voice cries from the other side of the door. "Father's calling you, it's time for dinner!

"L-Lucy," Morgan replies timidly. "You go on ahead; I'll catch up in a bit."

"No, Morgan, it's time to eat," shouts the girl with deep blue hair. She gives the door a couple more loud knocks. "Morgan, Father and Mother said they have something important to tell us over dinner. We don't want them waiting for either of us so let's go!"

"Fine," Morgan finally gives in. "I'm coming."

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><p>Morgan and his sister Lucina make their way to the dining area. The room has huge windows, each panel draped with expensive fabric in a nice blue tone. On every one of the drapery is a huge image of a symbol familiar to all of Ylisse- the brand of the Exalt. Echoes of their footsteps on the marble flooring resonate throughout the entire room. In the middle is a long dining table covered in white linen and at the very end of the table sits Chrom and Robin, Morgan and Lucina's parents.<p>

"Sorry we're late, Father, Mother," Lucina says with her head bowed. "I had to force Morgan into joining us.

"Haha, sorry Mom and Dad," Morgan mumbles, scratching his head.

"No worries," the middle-aged man says calmly. "The two of you should take a seat; your Mother and I are starving."

"Yes, you two sit down already so we can start eating," Robin says cheekily. As Chrom shares his hair color with Lucina, Morgan too has inherited his Mother's snow-white hair. Robin carves the roast and serves her family.

In the middle of dinner, Lucina suddenly remembers something. "Ah, Mother! You said you had something important to tell us right? What is it" she asks curiously.

Robin eyes on Chrom as if waiting for him to say something. She sighs after Chrom gave her a worried smile. "You see, kids. Your father and I have decided to leave for Regna Ferox with the rest of the shepherds first thing tomorrow morning."

Lucina quivers upright in surprise, her hands hitting the table. "W-what?" she cries. "But Christmas is just next week. What business do you have in Regna Ferox? What's going on?"

"Peace, Lucina!" Chrom firmly replies. "As the warriors of Ylisse, it is a grave responsibility for us to assist our allies in situations like this.

Morgan, who has been staring at his plate, finally speaks up. "M-Mother, can you tell us what actually is happening in Regna Ferox? Why would the Khans need the Ylisseans' assistance unless they're up against a huge enemy?"

"You really took after your Mother, Morgan." Chrom grins. "Lucina, take your seat and hear what your Mother has to say."

"The Feroxi scouts have reported sightings of a huge army of Risen forming in the hills just south of Regna Ferox. The Khans asked for our assistance because their troops will be outnumbered based on the scouts' reports." Robin explains. "Look, I know that celebrating Christmas together has been a family tradition and believe me when I say this isn't easy for your Father and I but it has to be done." Robin adds, placing her hand on her daughter's shoulder.

Lucina, now seated, finally calms down. "F-fine," she grumbles, trying to hold back her tears. "When are we leaving?"

In surprise, Robin takes a quick glance at her husband.

"You and Morgan will be staying in Ylisse, Lucina," Chrom declares. "It is not safe for children to be a part of this mess and besides, if anything ever happened to the two of you, Robin and I will never be able to forgive ourselves. The Shepherds and the Feroxi army should be more than enough to handle a Risen army."

"B-but this is what Lucy and I have prepared for, Dad! We're good enough and you know it!" the quiet Morgan breaks out in argument. "I want to help Mother in setting out strategies! Please!"

"Peace, Morgan. You know your Father is right," Robin stands and places her hand on Morgan's head.

"Please! You know how hard I've trained!" Morgan bids, his hands curled and his head bowed, facing the half-full plate.

"Enough, Morgan," Lucina says quietly. "Mother and Father are right, and it is our duty as their kids and as a part of the Exalted family to survive under any circumstance."

The dinner goes incredibly gracelessly with Morgan and Lucina taking small bites, as if they have lost their appetite. The roast and the potatoes have gone cold and dry. After getting enough food, the Family bids each other a good night and Morgan and Lucina go to talk in the older sibling's room.

"Morgan, what are you doing?" Lucina says curiously at the boy who is pacing back and forth on the bedroom floor.

"I just can't get over the fact that our own parents find us useless enough to leave us out of the fight! You've been training, I've been training, what else do they want?" replies Morgan who is getting more and more irate.

"Morgan, you know that our parents know best. The least we can do is send them our wishes tomorrow morning before they leave with the rest of the shepherds, okay?" Lucina implies.

"Hmm," the younger sibling grunts. "Are they leaving by foot?"

"No, they will be taking a couple of horse-pulled caravans for their supplies," answered Lucina.

The boy's frown faded into a smile, stretching from either side of his face. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking Lucy? It's time for us to show our worth."

"No, Morgan. Whatever it is that you are planning; I will take no part of," goes his sister.

"At the break of dawn, we hide inside the caravans so no one can see us. We then join the shepherds; Mother and Father are left with no choice but to let us fight! Gods, this is perfect!" Morgan jumps up and down in enthusiasm.

Lucina sniggers at her brother's idea. "Listen, Morgan. You're a smart boy, a prodigy, even, however; that's probably the stupidest thing I've heard. Gods, Morgan. What makes you think Father will let us through easily?"

Before Morgan could even answer, the two are surprised by gentle knocks on the door.

"W-who's there?" Lucina cries, going towards the door.

"It's me, I need to talk to the both you," replies a familiar voice.

"It's Mother." Morgan adds as he opens the door.

Robin is wearing a beautiful silken night dress with her white hair flowing elegantly. In her hands are two packages, one bigger than the other. She proceeds to take a seat on the bed and gestures for the kids to come closer. "Come here, I have your presents," she says gently.

Morgan and his sister sit beside their mother. "Mother, I'm sorry for how I acted back in the dining room. I must've upset Father." Morgan says with his head bent, avoiding eye-contact with his Mother. "I've really spoken out of terms."

"Me too Mother," Lucina says, grabbing her Mother's hand.

Robin gently squeezes her kids' hands. "Here, open these. Since we probably won't be seeing each other this Christmas, I thought it would be a good idea for me to give your presents early, no?"

The siblings opened their individual packages. Lucina's contained a heart-shaped pendant with a small picture of her parents, her brother and herself. "Ah! I remember when we had an artist draw this for us! I love it Mother, thank you very much!" The blue-haired girl wraps her arms sound her mother.

"Whoa, what is this?" Morgan says out loud. "It's a tome!"

"Yes, son," smiled Robin. "This tome was the very first one I got to use ever since your father found me lying unconscious several years ago. It's not the strongest of spells but I will hold its sentiment forever. I figured, however, that it would be most useful in the hands of a budding tactician such as yourself." she strokes Morgan's hair and pinches his cheeks slightly. "Gods, the two of you have grown up so fast."

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><p>The three spend the night reminiscing about their happy memories as a family. After a while, Robin bids her children a good night and the kids wish her and the shepherds a good luck on the quest. Lucina and Morgan continue talking about Morgan's plan. Lucina, although hesitant, decided to join Morgan, more so because she was worried that he'll end up doing something even more dim-witted. The two agree to meet at the stables before the break of dawn<p>

Although the siblings have wished each other a good night, neither of them sleeps. Morgan immediately starts packing his things for tomorrow's quest. "My book, a bottle of ink, a couple of potions, some parchment," says the boy to himself. "I feel like I'm forgetting something," he exclaims while wandering around his bedroom. "Ah, Mother's tome!" the boy goes to grab the Thunder tome and places it in his leather sling bag.

On the adjacent room, the blue-haired teenager is also stuffing her fair share of things into her bag. In it are her potions and spare clothes. She also prepared her dagger and her sword. Around her neck hangs her Christmas present; the locket given to her by Robin.

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><p><em>Hey there! Thanks for reading this chapter, I really appreciate it. Just so you know, I am very open for critiques and constructive criticism so do leave a review if you wish. Also, if you manage to spot any grammatical inconsistencies andor errors, I would appreciate it greatly if you point them out so I can edit. Thanks again and I hope you enjoyed reading!_

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><p><strong>Disclaimer<strong>: This is a work of fiction based on existing characters and settings from existing franchises. I own none of these characters (unless stated) and they belong to their respective owners and corporations. In no way am I earning anything from writing my fan-fictions.


	2. Chapter 2 - A Flightless Robin

****The Gifts****

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><p><strong>Chapter 2 – A Flightless Robin<strong>

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><p>Lucina, who is a couple of minutes delayed, reaches the stable before the sun rises. "Morgan? Are you there?" Lucina whispers into the darkness.<p>

"Here," whispers back a voice from the shadows. Morgan is hiding behind a couple of crates.

Lucina moves towards Morgan and kneels on the hay-covered ground. "So, can you elaborate on the plan, brother?"

"Ah, yes," the younger one replies. "We're to ride on the back of the caravans, behind the crates. We wait until we arrive on the site then we leave and prepare for when the Risen attack, once they do, we help out the team so our parents can't say anything," chucked Morgan.

The two climb onto the caravan, hidden behind crates full of bread, potions, weapons and other war supplies. They found a tarp where they can hide under when the need to if someone comes. After about an hour of waiting, the caravan curtains open. The siblings poke their sight from behind the wooden boxes to see a familiar face. Frederick the Weary, the shepherds call him; Chrom and Lissa's trusted guardian. "Load the equipment here. I need two people in this caravan," shouts the heavy-suited man. Two chaps come to Frederick's call and they both load more crates into the caravan only before jumping in themselves.

Lucina and Morgan duck lower and quietly place the tarp over their young bodies. Not long after, they feel the caravan move. The ride moves steadily but at times they pass some rocky areas where Morgan keeps hitting his head which made Lucina chuckle in the slightest. The two held hands along the tiring, uncomfortable journey. The carriage made short breaks along the way, Morgan thinks this is because they have to rehydrate and feed the horses. During these breaks, the two come out from under the tarp to stretch and to eat and drink in small rations from the shepherds' provisions. Once the break is over, the two men would jump into the caravan once more. Lucina could swear she recognizes the voices of their travel companions. To ease their curiosity, Morgan decides to peek to see the faces of the two chaps. True to Lucina's guess, they are Lon'qu and Stahl- two of the greatest shepherds in Chrom's army.

After another few long, sore hours, Lucina tires wakes up a sleeping Morgan, tugging on his sleeve. "Morgan! I think we're here," she murmurs to her brother's ear. The men are already unloading the crates, Lucina jerks onto the tarp to fully cover their heads.

Morgan finally gets his senses and they overhear a conversation between the men carrying out the boxes. "What about this bag? What's in it?" a man cries.

"I'm not sure, we best unload it though," says another.

The men get themselves in the caravan and grab onto the tarp. Before they can pull it out, a loud horn blows from the outside. "Ah, Chrom needs us to form," exclaims one of them. The two men leave Lucina and Morgan untouched and the siblings come out from under the piece of cloth, breathing heavily.

"Gods, that was close," Morgan whimpers. "Let's get out of here before they come back!"

"Morgan, you're an oaf! You told me that you'd be taking a nap, you slept like child!" cries Lucina in annoyance. "Gods, if we were caught, I could only imagine. Anyway, what are we to do now?"

"Oops," the younger sibling chuckles in banter. "Well, just be glad we weren't caught," he grumbles, placing a closed fist against his head.

Lucina places her bag onto her shoulder. "Ugh, Morgan, you're so annoying. You haven't answered my question yet, what are we going to do now? We'll surely get caught if we stay here." She takes a keen glance of their surroundings from inside the caravan. Outside, she sees a huge concrete gate; on it draped a huge flag with the Feroxi symbol embroidered on it.

Morgan, too, starts getting his things. He stretches his neck and pats the dust off of his robe and takes a glimpse of his sister's view. "Ah, Regna Ferox, just as I remembered it to be. We better take our leave, sister."

The siblings hop off of the caravan and rush into the woods. Unbeknownst to her, Lucina drops her pendant on the way.

Morgan and Lucina settle on an area near a running river. They set up a small camp and free themselves of their stuffy armor and thick robes which made them sweat uncontrollably. Lucina suggested starting a fire because it's getting dark but Morgan knew better.

"We can't start a fire, silly," Morgan goes confidently. "That'll just give both the shepherds and the Risen our position and that's probably the last thing we want in a situation like this."

The two laze on the damp grass, both of their eyes locked onto the periwinkle sky, dotted with stars, shining bright like gem stones. "So I guess we wait," the older sibling whispers, her voice fading quietly into night's gentle breeze.

"Yes," Morgan confirms, extending his arms, as if trying to grab the stars in the sky. "Once the Risen show up, we'll help the shepherds and prove to Mother and Father that we are just as good and just as brave as any of them!"

Lucina smiles at his brother's straightforwardness. "Good night, Morgan," she utters with a giggle.

"Good night, Lucy," the white-haired boy replies.

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><p>The birds start to flutter and tweet around as the sun rises to greet the earth. The gushing of the river wakes up Lucina. The blue-haired girl strokes her silky locks and curls up in a seated position. She stares blankly into the sky, eyeing on the feathered-critters dancing in the horizon. She puts her hand on her chest, trying to feel for something. "M-My locket!" the girl screams.<p>

Morgan, who is prancing about in dreamland wakes up in astonishment. "Good morning," the boy says, rubbings his eyes with closed fists.

"It's my locket, Morgan! The pendant Mother gave me before we left, it's missing!" she cries in panic.

Just then, Morgan feels the ground vibrating. "Horses," he cries. "They're searching for us! Climb the trees, Lucina!" Morgan grabs his sister by the hands and pushes her upward against a near tree. "Go!" the younger sibling shouts.

Lucina is finally able to climb and Morgan follows quickly. "Gods, our clothes, all our stuff!" cries Lucina.

Before his sister continues to complain, Morgan holds his hand against her mouth. "Shh, they're here."

A small group of men lead by Frederick reaches the siblings' camp. "They were here," he says sternly. "Search the vicinity; if you find them take them by force if you have to. Chrom ordered us to retrieve his kids and that we shall do. Do not, by any means, hurt the heirs! Go! I shall stay here in case they decide to come back."

Morgan, still holding over Lucina's mouth locks eyes with his sister and he finally lets go. He holds his finger against his lips, signaling for Lucina's silence. He slowly climbs higher onto the tree branches to scout for the soldiers' positions. The rays of the morning sun peek through the spaces between the lush green leaves, making it hard for Morgan to see. The lad decides to reach for a higher branch to be able to observe better. Without realizing, a trickle of his sweat runs down from his head and falls from his blushing cheeks.

Lucina's eyes follow the droplet of sweat as it descends from above her. "N-no," she whispers to herself. Frederick is resting against the tree and the droplet falls onto his hand.

Morgan is finally able to grab onto the branch. He pulls on it and lets his feet let go of where they were. The branch rips off and Morgan falls from the tree. The lad shouts, his arms extended, trying to reach his sister's open hands.

"Well if it isn't the young prince," cries a familiar voice.

Morgan has his eyes closed as he is sprawled onto Frederick's masculine arms. "I-I'm alive?" the boy cries, finally opening his eyes. "Oh, hello there Frederick," he says in relief. He suddenly remembers that he and his sister were supposed to be hiding from Frederick. "Oh, gods," he murmurs.

"You better pray to the gods, you oaf," says an infuriated Lucina from one of the branches. "Fredrick's going to turn us in and we're done for. Ugh!" she grunts. "I knew something like this would happen and guess who was stupid enough to go with your plans."

Morgan gets off of Frederick's hold and gives him a nod of gratitude. He lifts his head to Lucina. "Don't worry, Lucina. I'm sure Frederick here will help us out, he's our guardian too, after all!" His head turns towards Frederick, waiting for an approval.

"What the two of you did was highly irresponsible. What if the Risen were in the area and decided to attack you at your sleep? Your parents are extremely worried, you two better be prepared to face the consequences of your actions," the armored man says severely. He takes out a horn from the horse's side-bag attached to its saddle and blows on it.

"What was that for?" asks Morgan.

"I'm calling all the shepherds back to camp. Anyway, the two of you can take the horse; I'll just guide it by foot." His eyes switch and squint as he intently stares on Morgan's face. "You better not try anything funny because believe me, you've caused enough trouble for your parents."

Lucina has regret written all over her young face as she jumps down from the branch and onto the saddle. The three start moving through the forest. "Say, Frederick," Lucina softly cries. "You found us through my pendant, right?"

Frederick looks back and gives her a nod.

"Do you happen to know where it is? It's rather important to me," she asks gently.

Frederick starts moving in a faster rate. "Your pendant is with your Father. He was the one who found it when he was looking through the forest."

"Ah, I see." Lucina bows her head.

Before they know it, the three reach the Ylissean camp, just outside the Feroxi gates. The shepherds make way for Frederick and the siblings as they eye on the two intently. Frederick leads Morgan and Lucina to a tent and shakes his head, signaling for them to go in.

The two head into the tent where they find their Father with his arms wrapped around their Mother. "Don't worry, we'll see them soon," Chrom whispers to Robin's ear reassuringly. The two freeze for a moment when they see the faces of their children.

"Gods, thank the gods you're both safe!" Robin says, rushing towards Morgan and Lucina with open arms. "Are you hurt? Are both of you okay?"

"We're fine Mother," Lucina says shyly. "I'm sorry for making you worry."

"You better be," exclaims their Father from behind their Mother. "Do you know how much trouble you've caused us? Your Mother and I had to postpone the discussion of the tactics for the upcoming battle. Do you know how worried I was when I stumbled upon your pendant, Lucina?"

"P-please don't blame Lucina," Morgan cries sheepishly. "I was the one who dragged her into this; she just went with me because she was scared that I would get hurt."

"N-no, both of us are equally responsible, Father. I should have known better, it was my fault that I let Morgan leave in the first place. Please, forgive us," the lass cries.

"Peace, Chrom," Robin says firmly.

Chrom finally goes to give his kids a tight hug. He brushes Morgan's hair with his hand and pinches Lucina's cheeks with a smile. "I'm glad you're both safe," he says gently.

"The Feroxi army and the shepherds will discuss the strategies early tomorrow morning, the two of you will have to leave by then so you arrive at Ylisse in due time. I'll ask a couple of men to escort you back," Robin announces.

"B-but Mother, we can fight!" Morgan cries.

"Enough of this, Morgan, I know that you are a smart lad but I want neither you nor your sister to fall because of bad decisions. You two have a responsibility to Ylisse, remember that," Chrom adds. He reaches for his pocket and grabs something that erases Lucina's frown for just a slight moment. "Here you go, daughter. I know this means a lot to you, so take care of it and don't lose it once more." Chrom hands over Lucina's precious locket.

"T-thank you Father!" Lucina immediately puts it on. "Morgan, let's go to our tent and prepare for our-" Lucina interrupts herself. "W-where's Morgan? He was just here a while ago!"

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><p>The boy runs toward the forest once more, his white hair catching the wind as his pace goes faster. "I'll show them," Morgan whispers to his lonesome. As he runs, heavy tears flow from his eyes, running on his cheeks. After going deep into the forest, the lad finally makes a halt. He circles around the area, confused and in panic. He decides to set camp for a while to settle his thoughts.<p>

Morgan grabs a stale piece of bread from his leather sling and forces it down his throat. The young tactician recollects his thoughts now that his stomach finally stopped grumbling and his tears stopped flowing. "What to do, what to do?" he moans to himself. "Gods, I need to somehow prove my value to Mother and Father. Think Morgan, think. What would Mother do in a situation like this?" The snow-haired boy stands on his feet and starts walking around frantically. A shadow from the skies alerts him as he stares on the ground. He looks up to see a bird quivering in the skies. Ideas start flowing into the prodigy's head.

He grabs a stick and starts poking it onto the ground. "I'll scout deep into enemy territory, find the heart of the Risen and create a tactical plan for the shepherds to penetrate their forces directly. Gods, I'm a genius!" Morgan continues praising himself and packs his things to start scouting. "Mother, you'll be proud of me for sure," the young boy whispers to the wind.

Back on the camp, Chrom has re-arranged the troop and a search party to look for his son. Lucina and Robin hold each other's hands in hopes that they will soon see Morgan. Chrom talks to his wife. "Worry not, my love," he says trying to comfort Robin.

Morgan decides to trek a hill to get a better view of things. He holds a map of the entire Feroxi territory which he snatched from when he made a run from the camp. In the map are some red plots, symbolizing the Risen territory that the Feroxi scouts reported about. Morgan is fairly good in routing and he manages to pin-point his exact location. "The Risen should be grouping at the foot of the next hill," he says to himself.

Morgan slides down the hills landing on soft grass. He pats the dirt off of his clothes and proceeds scouting. "According to the map, they should be here somewhere," the lad says to himself, trying to inspect his surroundings. On the far north from where he stands, Morgan sees what seemed to be a silhouette of what almost looked like a dark cloud. "T-The Risen," the boy shouted.

Morgan comes closer to the shadows he's seen. Once he finally has a clear vision of the Risen army, he conceals himself from their vision behind a huge boulder. Morgan grabs the plume and ink from his leather bag. The young tactician re-plots the position of the Risen as he sees them. Morgan takes another glance at the army, he observes that they seem to be grouping; almost lining up near something. "I need to get a closer look," he says curiously.

The boy creeps in closer on all fours. "Is that a cave? No, a tunnel!" he cries. Unbeknownst to his juvenile mind, Morgan has already been discovered by sentry Risen. Morgan sees an arrow towards his direction on the side of his eye. The boy rolls over, dodging the arrow by a fraction of a second. "Gods!" he cries as he starts running frantically.

Morgan runs around the hills, trying to head back to the forest. He looks back for a second to see dozens of Risen trailing his back, the archers raining him with arrows that he continues to dodge. "The camp, I have to get to the camp," the boy cries in panic. "Help!" he starts shouting.

The lad finally finds himself on the outskirts of the forest with the Risen still behind his tail, he dashes into a cluster of bushes in hopes that he'll lose at least some of them. Unexpectedly however, the Risen still manage to chase onto him with the gap drawing closer. "I won't make it in time," he grunts. He opens his leather bag and grabs the Thunder tome. With his fist closed, he starts chanting with the book spread wide in his other hand.

He closes his eyes for a while, trying to remember a line from the book he was reading the night his parents told him about the news. _Despite being one in the backlines during battle, the result of war is hugely based on the strategies and tactical defenses and efforts made by the tactician. _"That's it!" Morgan realizes that he won't be able to take out all the Risen with the little power he has, in a genius act of desperation, he pours all of his power into the spell and shoots a lightning bolt from his hands to the sky with the roar of the thunder echoing throughout the entire forest.

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><p>Robin, Chrom and the rest of the shepherds who are gathered up in the center of the camp are alerted by the sudden loud crackling in the heavens. "That's Morgan, that's Morgan!" yells Lucina, pointing at the direction of the noise.<p>

"Shepherds, prepare for battle!" commands the Exalt as he draws his sword from its scabbard; one of Ylisse's greatest treasures, the Falchion. He takes a quick glance on Robin who is preparing her tomes.

Robin gives Chrom a nod and takes a deep breath. "The heavy armored men in the front followed by the horsemen. Those who wield a sword or a spear stand close behind them!" the experienced tactician orders as she opens one of her spell books. "Magic users and archers will stay at the back," she shouts, signaling the troop of mages and bowmen with a flick of her head. "Clerics and priests will support whoever needs supporting. All the Pegasus riders take to the sky now!"

The riders ascend from the ground on the back of their Pegasus. One of the riders is Sumia who is signaled by Robin to come to her aid. "Yes, Robin?" the brunette asks, with a tight grip onto her spear.

"Sumia, I need you to take me to the direction of the thunder to scan the enemy," Robin says sternly, her reach extended up in the Pegasus rider's direction who takes her by the hand. The two fly and they eventually reach the edge of the forest where Robin spots a running Morgan who is just a few paces away out of the dense foliage. "There he is!" Robin cries. What she sees next makes her heart tremble, the sheer number of the Risen sends shivers down her spine. "Run, Morgan! Don't stop running!" she yells from the clouds.

Morgan is taken by surprise to hear the worried cries of his Mother and the lad looks up to the sky. "Mother, help!" yells the lad back. His knees are getting tired, his feet aching from the intense running.

Robin and Sumia descend to only a few feet from the ground. Sumia and her Pegasus maneuver expertly around the rain of arrows from behind them. Robin sees Chrom, now joined by Feroxi soldiers waiting in line for the engagement. What is about to be a successful bait ends up as Robin's greatest nightmare as she sees her son fall to the ground, face-first, tripping on a rock.

Chrom, the shepherds and the Feroxi soldiers start marching towards the Risen.

Robin jumps off the Pegasus in an attempt to save her son who lies unconscious on the dirt. "Morgan!" she yells. The worried Mother wraps her arms around her beloved son. Within a fraction of a second, before Chrom and his soldiers come to Morgan's aid, Robin feels a spike of pain as she, still with her son in her arms, falls to the ground.

Chrom, who is charging at the front of his army, locks vision on a Risen who holds an unloaded bow in his hand. "Gods, no!" he screams.

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><p><em>Hey there! Thanks for reading this chapter, I really appreciate it. Just so you know, I am very open for critiques and constructive criticism so do leave a review if you wish. Also, if you manage to spot any grammatical inconsistencies andor errors, I would appreciate it greatly if you point them out so I can edit. Thanks again and I hope you enjoyed reading!_

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><p><strong>Disclaimer<strong>: This is a work of fiction based on existing characters and settings from existing franchises. I own none of these characters (unless stated) and they belong to their respective owners and corporations. In no way am I earning anything from writing my fan-fictions.


	3. Chapter 3 - Snowfall

****The Gifts****

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><p><strong>Chapter 3 – Snowfall<strong>

* * *

><p>Chrom eyes at his wife and son, his mouth open wide in utter despair. He feels a hand onto his shoulder as his thoughts slowly drain into the abyss.<p>

"Commander, keep marching. We need you to assert instruction," Frederick shouts at Chrom's ear, his words almost getting devoured by the loud galloping of the horses. "The clerics have gotten in range to cast a protective barrier on your wife and son, Milord. The barrier, however, won't last very long. We need to retrieve their bodies before the barrier shatters."

"R-right," cries Chrom apprehensively. "What are the chances of being able to successfully cast Rescue?" the Exalt asks as he and his horse move a bit faster.

"The longer the target, the longer the casting time," Frederick answers back.

"Call Sumia and Lissa," Chrom orders confidently.

The trusted guardian does as he is told and brings the two ladies in Chrom's presence.

* * *

><p>Lissa rode with Sumia on her Pegasus, as she holds a huge staff on her hands. Chrom's little sister jumps off of the Pegasus with her twin-tail hair bouncing as she hits the ground. "Brother, the rest of the clerics won't be able to hold the barrier for too long and we're still quite far from the Risen army. The mages have started firing their spells to at least ward away the Risen from hitting the shield," reports Lissa whose heart is now beating fast in worry.<p>

"I've heard, Lissa." Chrom halts as the rest of his army goes past him. "I have a special mission for the two of you. I know that I've chosen the best cleric and the best Pegasus rider so please, I need you to save my wife and my son."

"We can't just rush in and try to snag the two from the ground, commander," Sumia exclaims. "That'll be too risky for Lissa and me, even if she casts a shield around us, there's no guarantee that it will hold."

"Sumia's correct brother," Lissa adds.

"Please, heed my words first," Chrom says, his grip getting tighter. The Exalt starts moving and signals Lissa to ride back onto the Pegasus. "Sister, I need you to start casting rescue on Sumia now."

"W-wait, on me?" the rider cries as she ascends from the ground.

"Yes, Rescue's cast time depends on the target's range from the caster," Chrom explains. "You drop Lissa on a spot just a few yards away from the potential battle zone, Rescue will be successfully cast in time if you start channeling now." Chrom gives his steed a slight whip as they race faster across the fields.

"Ah," cries Chrom's little sister. "If Sumia can then fly herself in to grab Robin and Morgan then-"

"You can use Rescue to save the three of them from the Risen, yes, that's exactly the plan." Chrom cuts her off. "By the time Sumia and the two get ported to your safe location, I and the rest of the army will be there in time to engage. Sumia, I know that this is a tough job for you, but you're the only one who is capable of doing such feat," Chrom begs. "Please, please save them!"

Sumia and Lissa fly up into the air. "I will, Milord," Sumia shouts as she and Lissa speed past Chrom and the army. "May the gods help us," she says looking back at Lissa who begins to chant her spell and a blue aura starts building around Sumia's slender body.

The soldiers march on towards the Risen waving their weapons to the skies. Chrom catches up with Frederick who is at the front of the speeding army. "Milord," says Frederick who has his head up to the heavens. "Snow is falling."

The Exalt lifts his gaze upon the heavens dotted with a slow but steady fall of snow. Chrom and his army continue to move forward towards the army of Risen.

* * *

><p>The boy's eyes flicker, holding his painful head. His arms and legs feel as heavy as lead. Morgan shakes his head, trying to grab hold of his thoughts. He tries to open his eyes again only to see his Mother gravely injured as the blur turns into a clear image. "M-Mother?" the boy cried as his eyes lock onto the arrow piercing his Mother's tiny frame. Morgan looks around and sees the protective barrier that the war clerics formed to protect them. "T-They're coming!" he exclaims. "Hold on Mother, Father and the others are coming to save us!"<p>

* * *

><p>Sumia and Lissa move speedily across the rest of the army, trying to spot a place where Lissa can be dropped off. "It should be an area where we can rejoin the shepherds and fight after we save Robin and Morgan," Sumia states, her head swinging in every direction, scanning the wide fields and the dense forests from afar.<p>

Lissa is still chanting the Rescue spell on Sumia as the blue aura envelops her body even more. Around her torso appeared a trail of what seems to be floating letters and symbols, this tells Sumia that Lissa has reached the half-way point of her enchantment.

The Pegasus rider spots a nice grassy area with a couple of decent-sized rocks where Lissa can probably sit on as she continues to chant. Sumia carefully descends onto the ground and drops off Lissa who bids her goodbye with a simple nod, wishing her the best. The brunette takes the skies once more to execute Chrom's plan. She gives of a loud, heavy sigh and she swoops with her spear toward the Risen army. "For the Halidom!" she shouts from above.

Chrom and his army look to the skies as the winged-horse and her rider fade into the snowy clouds. "May the Gods be with you, Sumia. Please, save my family," Chrom whispers. "Go!" the Exalt shouts to his men, swinging the Falchion up in the air.

* * *

><p>Morgan has Robin's head on his lap. He places his hands onto the barrier to see its condition. "This isn't good," he says anxiously. "The barrier's going to shatter if the assault continues. The young tactician looks up to the sky to see the snow fall gently. Morgan's heart started to beat faster as he feels the ground vibrate. "The army's coming!" He squints as he sets his sight onto an object circling around the area. "Is that a Pegasus?"<p>

"There they are!" Sumia cries, her body now fully covered in symbols, scriptures and the blue aura. She stops in mid air as she prepares herself for the upcoming task. "The spell should be ready in time." Sumia takes one last deep breath as she dives in from the clouds and toward the Risen.

Morgan sees the Pegasus and her rider about to charge in. Cracking noises alert the young lad, his fingers feel the barrier giving in. The lad quickly grabs the tome from his leather bag and charges the thunder spell in his tired hand. Blood starts trailing down his cheek from his injured forehead, slightly covering his sight.

"Milord, Sumia has dove towards the army," reports Frederick to Chrom as they continue to march.

Not too far away from where they are, Chrom zooms in to see the Pegasus rider bravely descending at an incredible speed. "We're coming, Robin."

With an ear-piercing sound, the barrier shatters and the fragments crumble into dust that catches the cold breeze. Morgan releases his magic and summons a thunderbolt on the Risen archers who rain their arrows on Sumia who then throws her spear, hitting one of the Risen, as she swiftly races toward the boy and his injured Mother.

"Grab my hand!" yells Sumia who is coming closer and closer. She puts out her glowing arm, extending her reach toward the boy. Morgan and Sumia's hands meet. The boy pulls himself up from the ground; trying his best not to let go of his Mother. Robin and Morgan dangle dangerously and Sumia shouts in excruciating pain as she twists the joint in her arm. A painful "Lissa," comes out of her mouth.

The Pegasus struggles to maintain balance as she drags the boy and her mother from the ground. The winged-creature continuously flaps its wings in an effort to stay in flight. Sumia tries to swiftly get out of the Risen's sight to no success. Just then, from the ground, an arrow pierces the creature's side and she and all the people hanging onto her quickly fall out off the skies. "Gods," Sumia screams as they are about to hit solid ground.

Morgan, still hanging onto Sumia's grasp also struggles to hold on and carry his wounded Mother whose blood rains down in droplets as her body suspends in the air. "I can't hold on much longer!" he screams in pain. Just then, a bright blue light disperses and covers them before what should be a fatal fall happens and they disappear from midair leaving only a huge quiet pulse of the magical illumination.

The Ylissean and the Feroxi army engage with the distracted Risen and Morgan, incredibly exhausted, loses his consciousness yet again as the great battle commences.

"Are they alright?" asks a panting Sumia, her hands on Robin and Morgan's bodies. "Can you heal them?"

"Morgan is fine, Robin is in a critical state," the blonde replies in worry. "What about you? You hurt your arm didn't you?"

"Y-yes," Sumia says, holding onto her elbow. "But please take care of my Pegasus and Robin first." Sumia switches her gaze to the battle. The grass, now lightly covered in a thin layer of snow, has been stained in red and black. Risen that are slain fade into a dark mist, joining the winds as they blast the battlefield with a spine-shivering cold.

* * *

><p>The battle goes on with the Ylissean mages and archers firing spells and arrows from the back, causing tremor in the Risen army. The armored men and the horse riders bravely charge, slashing and piercing any Risen that their eyes set upon as they force their way in. The Pegasus warriors swoop from above the skies to throw a volley of spears.<p>

Sumia squeezes either side of her arm, her heartbeat in tune to the resonating noises from the clashing of steel and the dying screams of her peers. She averts her gaze and tears fall from her eyes. "Lissa," she whispers.

"Peace, Sumia. It'll be dangerous for you to fight at your state. At this point, you'll only be a liability and a burden in your condition. You probably won't be able to help," Lissa states as she now too, cries. The cleric holds Robin in her arms with her back facing the skies. The Exalt's sister manages to extract the arrow from Robin's back and starts to cast a healing spell, hoping to at least stop the bleeding for now. "This is worse than I thought," she cries.

"What is it?" Sumia nervously asks, looking at Robin who is sprawled at the ground, barely breathing. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

Lissa throws her bag to the ground as she continues to heal Robin. "In there, there are bandages and some concoctions that will probably settle your Pegasus' injury. I've already assessed her status; the arrow didn't hit anything vital. I need to focus on Robin right now, I hope you understand."

Sumia gives her a determined nod and unravels a roll of bandages and tips the cap off of the bottle of concoction. The brave rider pours some of the green liquid onto the wound which is left after Lissa had removed the arrow from earlier. The Pegasus whinnies in shock and pain as the mixture seeps into her body. "There, there," Sumia says gently. "Everything will be okay." She switches her sight to see the on-going fight and is relieved to see that most of the Risen have been slain.

* * *

><p>The battle lasts long. The sun sets and with Chrom leading his troops, the fight has been won and the Ylisseans and the Feroxi soldiers rejoice and celebrate their victory as they depart from the battle field leaving only but the scent of blood and death that spreads through the land. Amongst the loud screams of victory and defeat are the cries of soldiers who have to carry their fallen comrades, friends, back to the camp.<p>

Chrom calls for a meeting with his soldiers as he and the rest of the men gather up in the middle of camp. "Today, we have prevented what was going to be the massacre of the innocent children of Feroxi, the death of both young minds and the elderly who have no knowledge in fighting. Today, men, we have overcome the Risen army!" Chrom raises his sword, pointing to the cold, snowy night sky. "Our victory, however, came with a huge sacrifice; the lives of our brethren who fought for the Halidom, lives that have been taken in fight for our freedom and peace. We will not forget the brave efforts and the heroic endeavors of our fallen comrades."

The army sends out loud cries, some of them in heavy tears, the others in happiness and in pride.

"I need some of you to travel back to Ylisse to return the bodies of our deceased brethren," Chrom states. "Joining you will be the heavily injured and the clerics and priests who can do treatments en route to Ylisse. The rest of us can wait until sun rise."

Sumia and Lissa both ride in for the trip back to their home. Robin is also with them, still under Lissa's tired hands that, despite being exhausted, continue with her healing enchantment.

Morgan, now awake, is brought to the Exalt's tent to unite with Lucina and Chrom who both dash towards at the sight of him. "Are you okay, son?" Chrom says, brushing his son's white hair with his hands. "I'm glad you're safe, Morgan."

"Gods, Morgan," Lucina hugs her brother tightly. "I was so worried about you."

Morgan stares blankly onto the tent walls while his Father and sister hug him. "M-Mother," the boy says softly. "This is my entire fault."

Chrom tightly grips Morgan's shoulders. "Listen, Morgan" he whispers to his son, looking at his dimmed eyes. "It was wrong for you to have run away when you did, but what's done is done. The best thing we can do for your Mother is to wish for her recovery, alright?"

"Father's right, Morgan," Lucina adds with a crooked smile which quickly turns back into a frown. She holds her locket in her hand and tugs on it gently. "We should all rest," the blue-haired girl proposes. "We have a long day ahead of us so better be prepared."

Chrom invites his children to stay at his tent. Lucina has her own bed and Chrom and Morgan share theirs. The Exalt and his daughter sleep after only a few minutes but it isn't the case for the young tactician who, still drowning in regret, cries himself through the night.

Chrom wakes up to see his daughter sleeping at her bed and his son sitting on one of the chairs with his eyes closed. He gets up to check on Morgan whose face has gone puffy because of crying. "Morgan, are you okay son?"

Morgan opens his eyes, swollen and red. "Father!" he screams, throwing himself toward Chrom who hugs him tightly.

"There, there," Chrom whispers, trying to comfort his sobbing son. "You better prepare for our trip, okay? I'll wake your sister up so she can start packing too. We'll be able to see your Mother soon, don't worry." Despite sounding confident and unscathed, Chrom is crying on the inside; full of worry with the thoughts that the love of his life can be dead as they speak.

The three travel back to Ylisse with the rest of the army. They pass familiar rocky areas and small hills and they finally reach their home.

* * *

><p>Chrom asks his children to stay at their rooms and proceeds to visit Robin. As he makes his way toward his wife's ward, he comes across Lissa who is leaving the room. "Ah, sister," Chrom says, extending his arms for a hug.<p>

Lissa gladly accepts and the two share a sweet hug. Lissa lets go and leans forward, smiling. "I have good news for you, brother!" She makes a hand gesture toward the room. "She'll be fine, no worries at all!" She says, chuckling.

Chrom grabs Lissa by her waist and brings her up in the air. "Oh gods, this is great news! Thank you so much, Lissa."

Lissa puts her hand over Chrom's shoulder. "She's actually up but she's under a huge amount of stress due to both the injury and the fact that she's been under my magic for an entire day. Don't do anything that will contribute to her fatigue, okay? Now, if you excuse me, I have other patients waiting for my care. Talk to you later, brother!" Lissa skips down the hallway and stops to enter one of the many doors.

Chrom heads to see Robin who he spots staring at the snow, falling quite heavily, from the infirmary window. "Hey," Chrom says in a flirtatious tone, leaning by the door. "You're looking great."

"Oh, Chrom, I probably look miserable," Robin grins, signaling for Chrom to come closer. "It's nice to see you."

Chrom sits on Robin's bed and holds her hand in his. "I was so worried, my love. How terrified I was when I saw that Risen holding the unloaded bow with you falling onto the ground. I just-"

"Peace, Chrom," Robin says, feeling her husband's hands. "I'm here now and that's what matters. We won the battle, Regna Ferox is safe and our children are both safe." Robin extends her neck and Chrom bends down to meet her lips. "Speaking of the children, where are Morgan and Lucina?"

"Ah, I asked them to go to their rooms and rest for a while. To be completely honest, I had no idea of your state and I wanted to be the first person to hear of your condition." Chrom strokes Robin's long white locks and kisses her crown. "I love you."

"I love you too, Chrom." Robin places her head on Chrom's chest and the two stay in that position for awhile until gentle taps on the door surprise them.

"Come in," Chrom answers to the knocks.

"Mother!" a sobbing Lucina rushes into the room.

"Lucina, it's nice to see you." Robin smiles at her crying daughter. "Peace, my darling, why don't you give your poor Mother a tight hug."

Lucina wraps her arms around her Mother and rests her head onto her shoulders. "Aunt Lissa told us about you, I'm glad you're okay, Mother!"

Chrom smiles at the sight then he notices a familiar face, peeking through the door. "Morgan, why don't you come in and greet your Mother," he shouts towards the direction of the door.

Lucina and Robin switch their sights toward the young boy who slowly moves into the room with his white hair covering his eyes.

"Morgan," Robin whispers gently.

The young tactician steps closer to his mother and he lifts his head up to reveal a miserable-looking state. His tears have covered his entire face and his eyes are now ever puffier than before. "Mother, I'm sorry!" he cries, slamming his head onto Robin's mattress.

"Morgan, it's okay, I'm safe now. You were very brave to do what you did, son. I'm proud of you despite what happened. Firing your spell like that to warn us of the Risen army was quite a splendid idea," Robin smiles.

"Excuse me for a minute, my love. I need to assist the army in sending in the condolences of the Exalted family for our soldiers who have passed." Chrom places his hands gently on Morgan's back and smiles at Lucina. "You two take good care of your Mother, alright?"

Morgan makes a muffled noise and Lucina nods back at her Father. Chrom leaves the infirmary ward with relief written all over his handsome face.

Morgan continues crying and Lucina moves closer toward her brother to console him. "I was so weak, Mother. I couldn't even protect myself. I was so weak!" the boy cried even harder.

"Son, bravery and power aren't measured by how many enemies you have slain in war or how much damage you cause the Risen, as tacticians, this is something we must put in mind." she pats Morgan's back. "You did well, Morgan. Although it is true that you have caused us to worry a lot, you did lure the Risen toward the camp which made it easier for us to set up our lines."

"Mother's right Morgan, if anything, it was I who was useless." Lucina frowned. "I was just staying in camp, alone with nothing to do, while my brethren were fighting for the Halidom, risking their very existence. I felt so pathetic."

"Lucina, you too have to remember that both of you are the world to Chrom and I. You two remind us of the happy memories that Chrom and I have shared in the middle of war. Those moments were like an oasis to us, and as the fruits of our love, anyone would have to walk over our dead bodies before they can touch you." Robin lightly jerks Lucina's locket and smiles at her. "What's inside that locket is the core of what Chrom and I fight for, and that's something you have to remember."

Morgan jolts upward, his eyes open wide as he remembers something. "The map," he whispers to himself.

"Huh," goes a slightly bewildered Robin.

"W-Wait here," Morgan jumps out and runs in the hallways, making his way to his room. Panting, Morgan opens his door and starts searching for something. "Where is it, where did I put it?" he grunts in frustration. Hanging on one of the corners of his bed is his leather sling. "There it is!" he jumped. The boy mumbles as he opens the bag. "Got it," he yelps as he snags a rolled piece of paper from the bag.

"I wonder what's going in his mind now," Lucina says, holding her Mother's hand. "Father has always told me that I was like him and Morgan was like you. Were you really that intense and gawky back then, Mother?"

"Oh, where do I begin? I was just as obsessed with books as Morgan is now. One time, after one of our earliest missions together, I had to taunt Chrom in allowing me access to the Exalted Family's library," she giggles. "To think the stubborn prince and his awkward tactician would fall in love."

"That sounds romantic, Mother," Lucina giggles with her.

Lucina and her Mother hear loud and quick footsteps from outside of the door and are both astonished when a panicked Morgan blasts through, holding the rolled parchment in his hands. "Mother," he cries loudly. "I need you to see something!"

Morgan unravels the rolled parchment which turned out to be a map. "What are we seeing here?" Robin asks curiously.

"The plots, Mother!" shouts Morgan. "I spied on the Risen when I foolishly ran away and saw them collecting near a tunnel, here, right here." he moves his finger to a dotted area in the map. "The Risen chased me, but only the ones who were out in the fields!" Morgan drags his finger across the map from the tunnel to a familiar area. "I've reduced all the possibilities and I came down with the conclusion that the tunnel ends here, in Ylisse!"

"Oh gods," Robin sits upright. "Judging by the length of this tunnel, the number of Risen will be ten-fold from the army that was chasing you! Lucina, call Chrom, go, quickly!"

"The Risen should strike by midnight, Mother!" the boy shouts apprehensively.

"Calm down, Morgan!" Robin shouts back. "This is terrible, the army has barely recovered from yesterday's fight and Flavia and Basilio's forces aren't here to aid us. We can't call them in either, the paths will be too dangerous to take given that the Risen's arrival is still a variable we've yet to confirm. Although, like you said, judging by the length of the tunnel, they should be here by midnight."

"The Feroxi scouts only saw a part of the Risen army and thought that they were grouping up to attack Regna Ferox. What are we going to do?" Morgan cries.

"What's going on?" a confused Chrom asks. "What's this all about?"

"Gods, Father!" Morgan and Robin tell Chrom about the horrors of what is about to happen.

The Exalt is in shock but he trusted Morgan's words. "Gods, this is horrible. Those wretched brutes just won't stop coming. Robin, what are our plans?

There is no response, Robin passes out and Lucina spots blood seeping out from her back to what used to be white linen sheets.

"Robin!" Chrom cries.

Morgan rushes to find Lissa who he spots talking to Sumia in another room. "Aunt Lissa!" the boy yells.

"Oh, Morgan," his aunt yelps. "What is it? What's the matter?"

"It's Mother, she needs your help!" the boy runs back to Robin's room followed by Lissa, who grabs her staff on the way out of Sumia's ward.

Lissa immediately checks on Robin who she turns over to see what happened. "Gods, her wounds opened!" the cleric shrieks. She starts weaving an enchantment to stop the intense bleeding. "She passed out because of blood lose, I need time for her to wake up. I told you not to stress her out! What happened?" she asks Chrom and his children nervously.

"Lissa, I need you to stay here with the kids and Robin. The Risen are coming at midnight and I need to rally the troops. Robin and Morgan estimated at least a thousand Risen, we need to prepare." Chrom says in a hurry.

"Risen? W-What's going on?" Lissa asks in a high pitched squeal.

"No time to explain, just please take care of my family." Chrom rushes out of the room to meet with the shepherds.

"Gods, what's happening?" Lissa is confused but she doesn't lose focus and continues with her spell weaving.

* * *

><p>Chrom rushes down a huge stone staircase, his feet sinking in about an inch of snow. The stairs lead to the courtyard where the Shepherds are all lined up. He is greeted by Frederick who has a fresh cut on his face from their recent face off between the Risen. Chrom asks Frederick to bring all of the shepherds who are able to still fight.<p>

After just a few minutes, Frederick comes with what's left of the shepherds. "Milord, I have gathered all the soldiers who can fight, just as you said," the trusted guardian says with his hands behind his back.

"Good work, my friend," Chrom replies as he moves a few steps forward to see the familiar faces of what's left of his army. "Shepherds, all of you here have fought bravely back in the Feroxi territory. All of you who stand before me have lost a friend, a comrade, a loved one. Today, I ask you to prove your loyalty to the house of Ylisse and the Halidom once more. A few hours from now, when the night sky kisses the dark clouds of midnight, we are to face the greatest challenge Ylisse has ever faced." Chrom moves between the lines of shepherds who are now whispering to each other.

"Just how many are we expecting, commander?" asks Lon'Qu who stands in front of the line.

"A thousand," Chrom replies.

The army gasps in utter shock; some of them lose their grip and start staring blankly in fear. Frederick intervenes, "Word has gotten around that Robin has awaken, Milord. I'm sure she has formulated a plan already, yes?"

"No, Robin will not be contributing her knowledge in warfare with us today," Chrom says, his head bowed down in worry. "My wife has collapsed and won't be able to do the thinking for us. So now, we must fight with but one thing in mind," Chrom raises the Falchion to the frosted sky. "Ylisse, our home!" shouts Chrom.

The army roars and raises their fists to the heavens. Frederick follows with his silver spear and Chrom instructs the men to resupply and prepare for the upcoming battle.

"Milord, what are the plans?" Frederick asks uneasily.

"Today's battle will be different from the rest of our battles with Robin, my friend." Chrom exclaims with a frown on his face. "For today, we have to fight with our hearts and our hearts only. There is no plan."

* * *

><p>It is about an hour before the Risen's estimated arrival. The wizards and clerics have prepared their tomes and staffs. The Pegasus riders and the horsemen dress their partners for war. The foot soldiers and the swordsmen sharpen their blades and pray to their gods for the safety of Ylisse and their families. Morgan and Lucina watch from the infirmary window. Some shepherds hold lit torches as they wait for the Risen's arrival.<p>

Just then, a coughing sound breaks the silence in the infirmary. "Mother, are you okay?" Lucina says worryingly.

Morgan gets off the bed and pours a glass of water onto a glass and a few drops of the concoction Lissa left for Robin to take in case she wakes up. Morgan leans towards the bed and puts the glass near Robin's mouth. "Here, Mother. Aunt Lissa said this will reduce the pain."

Robin opens her mouth and drinks her son's offer. "H-how are the shepherds? How's your Father?" she says, her eyes half-opened in exhaustion.

"They're going to defend Ylisse, Mother." Lucina replies.

"N-No, gods this is dreadful." cries Robin, coughing again as she holds her chest in pain. "No matter how skilled and determined our army is, they will not stand a chance against an army that is ten-fold in number, at least not in a direct engagement."

Lucina holds her locket in her hands and she squeezes onto it. "I'm sorry Mother, forgive me for what I'm about to do!" Lucina rushes out of the room.

"W-Wait, Lucy!" his brother cries who is about to follow her out of the door.

"No, Morgan! Stay here!" Robin yells.

Morgan, though hesitating, follows her Mother's word and comes to back to the bed. "Mother, I want to fight too! I need to fight!"

"Yes, but not like this." Robin says nervously. "I have to ask you to do something way beyond your years, Morgan. I need you to take my place as the tactician of the shepherds just for tonight."

Lucina rushes to her room and puts on her armor and pulls her hair back with a headband. She grabs her sword from under the bed and pulls it out from its scabbard. "I'm coming, Father," she whispers to the cold night wind. The girl runs out of her room to catch up with the army.

* * *

><p>A scout comes rushing into the Ylisse's gates. "They're here! They're here!" he cries repeatedly. Chrom and his army prepare as they hold their weapons tight in their hands. Not too long after, a wave of Risen charge into the Ylisse and Chrom and his army engage.<p>

Chrom, being an excellent swordsman, is able to take on numerous of the Risen at once. The same thing cannot be said for the majority of his army who give into the huge Risen army. Despite knowing that they are heavily outnumbered, Chrom swings the Falchion with all his might and strength, sending all the Risen he faces into their demise.

The Exalt finds himself in a skirmish between him and four of some sword-wielding Risen. He takes to the skies and takes out one, Falchion's blade piercing the enemy's head as he drops down. He swings his sword to finish off two that attack him from the side. Chrom, however, gets too caught up with the three and forgets that there is still a fourth. He turns his back, his feet cold from the thick snow, to see the lone Risen in midair with its sword pointed towards the Exalt.

* * *

><p><em>Hey there! Thanks for reading this chapter, I really appreciate it. Just so you know, I am very open for critiques and constructive criticism so do leave a review if you wish. Also, if you manage to spot any grammatical inconsistencies andor errors, I would appreciate it greatly if you point them out so I can edit. Thanks again and I hope you enjoyed reading!_

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><p><strong>Disclaimer<strong>: This is a work of fiction based on existing characters and settings from existing franchises. I own none of these characters (unless stated) and they belong to their respective owners and corporations. In no way am I earning anything from writing my fan-fictions.


	4. Chapter 4 – A Plegian's Vengeance (Pt 1)

****The Gifts****

* * *

><p><strong><strong>Chapter 4 – A Plegian's Vengeance (Part 1)<strong>**

* * *

><p>"Morgan, you know very well that rushing into that battle will just get you killed. Chrom already knew this when he arranged the forces but your Father is ready to give his life just to protect the Halidom," cries Robin, holding Morgan's hands.<p>

"I-I know that too, Mother," her son replies. "And that's the very reason why I want to help. So let me, please!"

"No one said anything about not helping," Robin's eyes gleamed as the shadows cover her face. "But I won't let you fight without a plan. We're tacticians, my son, there must be something we can think of," Robin exclaims, trying to get her thoughts in the right place.

"As you said, we're outnumbered to the point where even our best warriors won't stand a chance," Morgan concludes.

* * *

><p>The battle is a sight that one of Ylisse would only see in his nightmares. The blood of the fallen and injured form puddles in the snow, dyeing it red and tainting the eyes and souls of the living in despair and hopelessness. The commoners and civilians hide inside their houses, huddled in corners, praying that their fathers and brothers would live to see the sun rise in a few hours. Some peek through the cracks of their windows to witness the massacre of their brethren in the hands of the Risen.<p>

Chrom eyes on the Risen's sword, its blade reflecting the little light the moon has to offer. Unable to move or dodge, the Exalt stands still on the snow; his eyes wide open as he prepares himself for the sword to puncture his masculine frame and the small hope that the Ylisseans have.

"Father!" a familiar voice yells as a flash of blue dashes to intercept the Risen's sword.

Chrom opens his eyes feeling his body with his hands. He takes a deep breath in relief and raises his sight to see a young girl, skillfully wielding her sword as she slays Chrom's attacker. "Lucina," Chrom is motionless in shock. "What are you doing here?"

"Is that something you would normally say to someone who just saved your life, you old coot?" Lucina says with a grin.

Chrom smiles back at her, "Robin's right, you really are like me." Chrom sprints toward his daughter and gives her a nod of thanks as they stand with their backs against each other. "How's your Mother?" Chrom asks as he slashes through a Risen's now mutilated body, crumbling into ash.

"She actually woke up before I ran to help," Lucina says, running toward a hoard of Risen with her sword

"Lucina, stop!" cries Chrom as he spots Lucina, lunging herself toward the enemy.

The Exalt's daughter thrusts her sword onto the first Risen, hitting it in the back. She draws the sword and the Risen falls to the ground and eventually fades into smoke-like ash. "For the Halidom," the girl cries, taking on another. Lucina swings her blade gracefully as sweat drips down her face, although her style mimics that of her father's, the way she handles her sword leaves Chrom in awe.

"W-Where in the world did you learn to move like that," asks a winded Chrom after finally catching up with Lucina, having to end two Risen warriors along the way.

Lucina gives her sword a tug as she withdraws it from a Risen's chest. "You said it yourself, Father," Lucina flings her hair and brushes off the strands that cover her face. "I am like just like you." Her beautiful eyes twinkle under the dark, snowy sky.

* * *

><p>In the infirmary ward, Robin holds a map of Ylisse in her hands as she and Morgan try to look for a possible strategy to rid of the Risen army. "The Risen has incredible numbers but individually, they do not possess skill, nothing that our warriors can't handle at least. If we can somehow at least take half of them out, the shepherds and Ylisse will actually stand a chance," the experienced tactician confirms.<p>

"There's no time, Mother," cries the boy, struggling to see his Mother's face as the room is lit only by a small candle on the bedside table. "I need to help them! It doesn't matter anymore, even if it means having my bones shattered into a million fragments, I need to protect Ylisse."

"Shattered into fragments," whispers Robin, raising her chin.

* * *

><p>Lucina severs the head of a Risen archer who sniped one of the Ylissean Pegasus knights out of the air. "You wretched brute!" the young girl yelled, swinging her sword. Chrom and Lucina rush to the rider's aid who goes by the name of Cordelia, her face covered in the blood of her fallen partner.<p>

"M-My Pegasus!" the girl cried, her red hair falling gracefully as she jolts up to wrap her arms around the creature.

"Peace, Cordelia," Lucina utters in pity but remains vigilant of her surroundings. She stands up to scout for more Risen. "We have no time, we must fight. Our forces have been overwhelmed to a point beyond return; all we can do now is fight with whatever we have left." The blue-haired girl clenches her teeth as she wipes the blood off of a cut she got from an earlier fight.

Chrom stands up from the ground and pulls Cordelia up by the hands. "Are you hurt? Can you still fight?" asks the Exalt gently.

"I-I can, Milord." Cordelia grabs her spear from the ground and pats the dust off her clothes. "Rest in peace, my friend," she whispers to her fallen steed.

"Ah," Chrom suddenly goes. "Any reports on what you saw from the skies? Where are your peers?"

Cordelia stops walking and takes a deep breath. "I-I'm the only Pegasus knight left, Milord. All of my friends, my family, they've all been slain."

"Gods," Lucina cries. "How many more Risen are there?"

"I've done some scouting to look for survivors, I think we've only beaten less than a quarter of the entire Risen army," Cordelia says is disappointment and despair. "And that brute, that brute and his wyvern have slaughtered my captain and the rest of our troops." Her face glistens under the moon, tears overflowing from her weary eyes as she stares up the sky.

"Crying will get you nowhere," Lucina says, placing her cold hands onto the rider's shoulder. "Now, we must fight for our fallen brothers and sisters. Let's go, Father."

Chrom stands a few yards away from where Lucina and Cordelia are. "This wyvern lord, is he the only one of his kind?"

"Ah, yes," Cordelia confirms. "He looked a little bit different from the other risen now that I think about it. His build was a lot bigger and he carries a huge axe." The red head bows, "It was the same one that the swine used to finish my sisters," the girl holds her shivering body as she remembers the demise of her peers.

"Enough of this, Cordelia," Lucina tries to comfort the sobbing lady once more. The girl takes a glance on her Father who seems to be in deep thought.

"Father," the curious girl asks, pacing closer toward Chrom. "What's the matter?"

"That wyvern lord, that's the Risen's leader," Chrom whispers. "It has to be." Chrom gives out a long sigh; his eyes closes as the winter air fill his lungs. "Lucina," the Exalt exclaims. "I need you stay here."

"What?" the girl cries in astonishment. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to look for this wyvern rider, the Risen's leader," Chrom declares without any hesitation. "They do not have minds of their own and cannot think without a leader. Taking out the said beast will weaken the Risen forces by a huge amount. I will go find this wyvern lord and end him. These brutes will have to walk past my grave before I let them take Ylisse."

"W-Why do I have to stay? I want to go!" cries Lucina. "You've seen it; you know what I can do! Do you not trust your own flesh and blood? Father, please!"

"No, Lucina," he replies sternly. "This isn't an issue of me not trusting you, as a matter of fact, it's the exact opposite." Chrom holds his daughter's face between his two hands and stares at her eyes intently. "I entrust the entire Halidom in your hands while I'm gone."

"F-Father," Lucina weeps with her hands now over her Father's.

"You are very brave, my daughter. Know that I am proud of you and what you turned out to be. You're a hero of Ylisse and for that, I thank you." Chrom hugs his daughter tightly and gives her a final nod as he rushes to find a Pegasus in the stable.

Cordelia approaches Lucina slowly, waiting for her instruction. The Exalt's daughter eyes on her Father whose silhouette slowly fades into the heavy-falling snow. Lucina's grip on her sword grows tighter. "I will protect Ylisse, Father."

* * *

><p>The stable is damp and cold from the snow and Chrom finds himself inside, shivering. The interior is dark as Chrom tries to make out the shadows of the obstacles he encounters as he goes in. The Exalt keeps walking deeper into the hay-covered structure until he stops, hearing heavy breathing coming from one of the pens. "Hello," Chrom whispers as he sets his eyes onto the shadows of a creature, curled into a seated position. Chrom cautiously enters the pen so as not to spook the beast from its sleep. The man strokes the creature's hair as it gently rises from its slumber. "I need your help," Chrom says, taking the steed's rope.<p>

Chrom guides the beast out of the stable to reveal that it is a magnificent white Pegasus. Chrom eyes at her coat and he notices something uncanny on its side. "Bandages," he cries. "Y-You're Sumia's Pegasus aren't you. Can you fly? I guess there's no point in asking you, is there." Chrom rides the Pegasus and starts running across the ground where some of his greatest warriors' bodies lie, awaiting justice. "We'll just have to see." He gradually increases his speed and the Pegasus opens its striking wings and takes Chrom to the skies. The Exalt rubs the Pegasus' neck in relief. "Good girl," he says gently, his hair catching the wind.

* * *

><p>Lucina manages to group up with a couple of shepherds who she finds outside the gates. Frederick and Maribelle are two of them and Lucina is more than pleased to see familiar faces. "Maribelle, Frederick, thank the gods you're both safe," Lucina says in relief.<p>

"Milady, what are you doing here? I thought your Father wanted you and Morgan to stay with your Mother until the battle ceases?" Frederick has his armor and clothes off due to a heavy injury on his back. Maribelle proceeds to cast a healing spell to stop the blood from gushing out.

"Ugh, Fredrick, you stubborn oaf," Maribelle goes as her hands glow. "Until the battle ceases, he says. Do you actually think there's an end to this invasion?" she whimpers obnoxiously.

"Father left me in charge of the forces we have here at Ylisse while he goes to hunt for the Risen leader." Lucina turns her head around, looking out for possible attackers. "It seems like the Risen have grouped up on the west where the boundaries end, the forces we've faced are nothing but few compared to the ones that are coming."

Frederick stands up and gives Maribelle a gesture of thanks as he puts on his clothes. "If Milord really did leave you in charge, then you have my service, Milady."

"I'll help too," Maribelle says hesitantly. "Ugh, this is a travesty but I won't let the shepherds die while I drink tea in my house, no." She grabs her staff and climbs onto her horse and offers her hand to Cordelia who is still incredibly silent.

Lucina smiles for a while, holding her precious locket in her hands. "Thank you Frederick. Today, we either claim our peace or die trying!"

Frederick puts on his armor and stretches his neck. "You can ride with me, Lucina."

He pulls Lucina off the ground and onto the stallion's saddle. "Let's ride, men!" he shouts to the rest of the shepherds.

Lucina and her troop re-enter the gates of Ylisse to witness a sight of misery and desolation. Their brethren, people who shared laughs with them, friends who they used to train with, companions in both war and peace; lie sprawled on the red-tainted snow, lifeless. "L-Let's move," Lucina says apprehensively. "We need to reach the end of the Ylissean boundary in time for the Risen's entry!" The group moves speedily across Ylisse, wiping off any small troops of Risen they encounter.

Frederick, despite suffering from an injury, fights brave and hard with his lance as he sweeps the Risen with ease. "We're near the point, Milady."

Lucina eyes the end of the boundary to see the daunting figure of what seems to be the largest swarm of insects she's seen. "Oh gods," Lucina cries. As she and Frederick draw closer, the image of what they are about to face also grows clearer. "Cordelia is right, t-there's so many," she exclaims in worry and shock.

The Exalt's daughter hops of the horse, stretching her limbs as she hits the ground. As she moves toward the location, she sees the shape of a small boy, just about her size. His robe draped an inch off of the ground and his head under a huge hood. Lucina moves toward the stranger cautiously and curiously as he stands still as if waiting for something. "You there, business do you have here? It's dangerous, the Risen will enter at any point, and you have to flee while you still can." Lucina declares firmly.

"And you think I'll leave you to die here, sister?" the boy turns around and drops the hood to reveal a face familiar to Lucina and the rest of the shepherds.

"Morgan," Lucina cries in surprise. "What do you think you're doing here? You have to get back to the ward and stay with Mother!"

"Peace, Lucina," Morgan says grimly. "I did not come here to die; I came here to save Ylisse and its people from definite danger."

"And what are you planning to do, exactly?" Frederick adds as he now too closes in on the young tactician. "I hope this isn't one of your irresponsible plans."

"Frederick's right, Morgan," Lucina pitches in as she places her hands onto her brother's head.

"This isn't my plan, Lucina," the snow-haired boy confirms. "It's Mother's" A howling wind comes rushing as Morgan sets his sights on the Risen, the gap between them growing smaller and smaller.

* * *

><p>Up in the skies, Chrom flexes his neck, tired of scouting for the wyvern lord. "Gods, I wonder where that brute rests," he cries, fluttering his weary eyes against the icy breeze. He looks back at Ylisse to see that the Risen have gathered near the end of the Ylissean boundaries and takes a deep breath as he circles around once more. The Exalt moves across the vast forests of Ylisse and he spots a purple light glinting brightly in the snow. He swoops down to see that he's arrived in the pine trails of Ylisse, one of the few areas in the Halidom where the tall trees grow.<p>

The Exalt lands on the snow-covered land and gets off the saddle to guide the tired creature as they walk toward the bright light. Chrom walks through the pine trail, cold and shivering. As they come nearer to the source, Chrom starts to get the feeling that he's being watched. He halts and looks around, trying to find movement in the pine trees. "Who's there?" he cries. Chrom notices that the light is getting more intense, as if the source is moving towards him. The Exalt stands in complete vigilance. He draws the Falchion from its scabbard, holding it with both hands. "Present yourself to me," he commands, making sure not to lose sight of the purple glow. Directly north from where he stands, the pine trees shuffled and the snow sitting on its branches fall to the ground. "Who are you!" he yells once more.

A leg comes out from the shadows, covered in black leather with feathered ornaments sticking out from its sides. The person finally reveals herself, her white hair matching the snowy trees. Her long, slender face brings shivers down Chrom's spine. In her hand was a staff, the origin of the purple illumination. "What do we have here," cries the lady, one of her hands sitting comfortably on her chest. "If it isn't the Prince," she chuckled. "Oh, excuse me, I forgot you now hold a more prestigious title; I am honored to be at your presence, The Exalted One."

"A-Aversa," Chrom whispers to himself.

"I feel honored that you remember my name, Exalt," she stares at Chrom whose sword is pointing at her. "I trust that you also remember what you've done to me and Plegia?"

"You hag!" the Exalt yells. "You, you're one of the reasons why my Sister is no longer walking on the same ground as we are. You, you killed Emmeryn!"

"Hmm," grumbles Aversa, pacing back in forth as she talks. "So it seems you aren't remorseful for what you've done to me and my people. That's too bad, is it not? It just means I have to make your death twice as painful." She turns her face towards Chrom to reveal an expression of pure evil and obscurity. "Get him!" she shouts, her voice echoing throughout the pine trails.

Chrom immediately runs, pulling the Pegasus with him. He turns his back to see about five dozen Risen trailing on him. He quickly enters the thick pine forest to try and lose some of his pursuers. He switches his glance to the sky only to see a huge Risen mounted on a wyvern, its wings covering the moonlight. "We can't take the skies; the wyvern lord will catch up to us immediately. Gods," he yelps as he nimbly makes his way through the trails. The Exalt sees a flying axe, spinning as it drops in towards him and he jumps onto the saddle of the Pegasus and they run though the woods, colliding with a series of snow-covered branches.

Chrom's heartbeat mimics the galloping of the steed which is struggling to maneuver itself as its wings keep on hitting the trees. "This isn't going to work," the Exalt decides. He jumps off the Pegasus and breaks a small twig from one of the majestic pine trees, its leaves still quite green despite the frost. "Here, take it to Ylisse," Chrom says hastily as he places the stick in the Pegasus' mouth. "Go, fly!" He gives one last tap onto the Pegasus and it starts ascending from the ground, trying hard not to collide with the thick plant life. Chrom sees the Pegasus disappear into the snowy skies as he tries to divert the Risen's attention away from the steed. "Gods, help me," he whispers to the cold wind.

* * *

><p>Lucina and the shepherds storm across Ylisse, trying to evacuate every one of the civilians from the main town. "Come with us!" Lucina shouts to the common folk who were hiding inside their houses, waiting for the fight to stop. The blue-haired girl stops to stare at the night sky, the snow still heavily flowing. "Mogan," she whispers. "It's all up to you now."<p>

Frederick climbs up to one of the houses where he finds a small girl, curled up inside her blanket and boy, a little bit older than the girl, standing up with a knife pointed towards Frederick. "Peace, children," Frederick says calmly, his eyes locked with the boy's. "I am one of the shepherds and I have come to retrieve you and move you to a safer place."

"Y-you're a shepherd?" the boy says, putting his knife down.

The girl comes rushing out of her bed and stands near Frederick, staring at him curiously. "Yup, he's a good guy," she says.

"A-anyway, Mister-?" the boy goes.

"Frederick, I am Frederick the Weary, the Exalt's guardian." He says confidently. "Anyway, the two of you have to leave, the Risen are coming this way and we need to flee before they do." The armored man, whose back was still aching from the cut, takes the children in his arms and takes a leave from the house. Frederick goes to see Cordelia who is driving the horse with Maribelle behind her. "How's Maribelle?" he asks.

"She's started chanting, we better not disturb her. The scale of her spell is exponentially harder to cast compared to what Lissa did, given that Morgan isn't even in her sights." She switches her sight to the two children around Frederick's arms. "Come here, you two." She positions the steed near Frederick and the two children jump onto the horse. "I'll see you in the meeting place, Frederick," Cordelia says. "Stay safe!"

The red head moves at a fast pace but steady enough to leave Maribelle unshaken as she continues to weave her spell in full concentration. In between Cordelia's arms are the two children, rubbing their eyes against the cold winds that sweep their faces. "Miss, are you one of the shepherds too," cries the boy.

"Yes, I am Cordelia, one of Ylisse's Pegasus knights. What are your names?" she says with a smile.

"I'm Caitlyn and this is my older brother, Edward," the little girl said.

"S-say, Miss Cordelia," Edward whimpers shyly. "My father's a shepherd too, have you seen him?"

"What's your father's name, child?" Cordelia replies as she passes rocky terrain.

"Donnel," he replies quickly. "My father's name is Donnel."

Cordelia knows Donnel, she was one of the few people who Donnel could talk to when he first joined the shepherds as a young farmer who knew nothing about fighting. "Ah," Cordelia sighs slowly. "Your father actually wasn't fighting when the Risen came to Ylisse. He was one of the people who were left injured in Regna Ferox. He should be getting fetched by Frederick and the others from the infirmary as we speak."

"T-that's great news!" cries the boy.

Cordelia looks back and sees Caitlyn giving her older brother a tight hug as they gallop towards a large wooden cabin near the edge of a frozen lake. She makes a halt in front of the house and opens the door. "It looks like we're the first ones here," she cries. The Pegasus knight carries the two children off of the horse and lights a small candle lamp and places it inside the house. She also carries Maribelle whose eyes remain shut and places her onto a comfortable chair. "You two stay here with Maribelle, okay?" She goes outside to place the horse under a shed that extends from the cabin. "And now, we wait," she whispers to the creature, as it munches on some damp hay.

* * *

><p>The rest of the shepherds travel with some of the commoners to the meeting place they set. Lucina and Frederick stay in Ylisse for one last trip. "Let's go in," Lucina says as she and Frederick stand outside the infirmary. The two climb up the stairs to see Robin, Lissa and Sumia talking amongst each other.<p>

Robin is delighted to see her daughter's face and immediately goes to meet her by the stairs and they share a tight hug. "So, you've already met with Morgan, I suppose?" Robin asks for confirmation, her hands placed over Lucina's shoulders. "Where's Chrom?" her face turns bleak, her thoughts dancing around her head; painting a picture of her husband, fallen on the ground, motionless.

"Yes, Mother," Lucina declares. "As for Father, he went to go look for the leader of the Risen that Cordelia told us about. Father thinks this Risen controls the rest of the army. Aside from us and the rest of the patients in the infirmary, Morgan is the only person in Ylisse."

"Well, we better get going then," Sumia adds. "I've heard of the plan and the faster we get to the place, the faster we can set up our defenses."

"Y-Yes," Robin states, her mind is still in horror without hearing much about her husband. "I assume we don't have enough horses to carry all the patients so it'll be important for us to leave while we have the time. Lissa, can you prioritize those who are gravely injured and load them onto the horses?" Robin tries to brush off the thoughts that Chrom is alone and can very well be facing grave danger.

"I'll do that," Lissa states, heading into the back of the room as she observes her patients.

Robin and Lucina walk around the halls while waiting for Lissa. "So, Mother, how are you doing?" Lucina says in a worried tone. "I-I'm sorry that I just ran away without asking you but I knew you wouldn't allow me to fight so I just had to."

"All's fair, Lucina," Robin grabs onto the locket, hanging from her daughter's neck. "Remember I told you that what's in this locket is the core of what your Father and I fight for?"

"Yes, Mother," Lucina says.

"Well, it seems that the same goes for you," Robin smiles at her daughter, proud of what she's done. "Now, all rests in the hands of your Father and brother. We best pray to the gods that they are safe."

Lissa comes dashing back. "I have three patients that need to take the horse ride," she goes. "One of them is your Mother," she eyes at Lucina. "Even though the bleeding has stopped significantly, the organs that were damaged are still in critical condition. The two others are men from the fight back in the Feroxi territory. They were previously in a very bad state but I've managed to heal them to a point where they are conscious. They are, however, under a lot of magic and spells so it's best not to stress them out."

"That settles it then," Lucina states. "Sumia, can you take the reins of my horse and ride my Mother to the meeting place? That way, she'll be able to have a deeper grasp on the plan."

"I can and I will," Sumia says, determined. "Let's go, Robin."

Robin bids the crowd goodbye as she and Sumia ride off to the frozen lake.

"You can load the two men on the horse and Frederick can just guide it as we make our way to the lake by foot," Lucina says commandingly.

* * *

><p>Morgan, after waiting patiently for the Risen to come, spots the first wave as they enter Ylisse where the boundary ends. His body gleams in a blue aura, the very same one that covered Sumia's body when she saved him. "The Risen," he curses to himself. "I haven't seen them move like this before," he cries waiting for at least half of the army to enter. "This isn't some ordinary invasion; I bet a genius is behind all this planning. For the Risen to attack first from the front gates to misdirect our troops, and now attack a second time, with than half of their forces. I sure hope Father's safe, the mind behind all of this is more dangerous than these Risen."<p>

A majority of the army has made its way inside Ylisse. Morgan remembers the words of her Mother from when they were in the infirmary, planning for all of this.

_Step one, capture the enemy's attention and make them follow you. Run fast enough for them not to reach you but not too fast that they'll lose sight of you._

Morgan fires a small Thunder spell; the sparks from his hands capture the Risen's sight and all they start going after him. The young tactician runs across the small hills, jumping over huge rocks while dodging the fire balls and arrows from the Risen army.

_Step two, Ylisse should be clear of any commoners; you should be the only living person in this time. For this reason, the Risen will not stop until they have captured you as they will have no other targets to chase. Maneuver your way through the streets using the houses to shield you for any range attacks. _

The boy, again, races across the ghost town, his feet making vile noises as they make contact on the bloody snow. He charges another Thunder spell and sends it flying toward the Risen so that they can keep in track of him. The hundreds of Risen troops storm across Ylisse, leaving nothing but havoc and destruction as they tear apart any obstacle they face.

_Step three, once you reach the open fields leading to the final spot; release your robes to reveal your white undershirt. This should lessen the accuracy of the flyers who will try to rain their weapons on you. The outskirts of Ylisse didn't see much of the battle so the snow should be completely white which means you can blend in with your surroundings. _

Morgan's heart is beating to the rhythm of his nimble steps. He hops over huge rocks, as his body starts glowing even more blue, scriptures and symbols floating around him. The lad lets out a huge yelp as he slips on the icy ground, twisting his ankle. He turns around to see an ax dropping from the skies and he rolls to dodge it. The panting Morgan tries to gather what little strength he has and continues to run, limping.

"He's here!" Lucina cries, "Prepare your weapons, shepherds!"

"T-there's so many," cries Edward, hugging her sister as they watch from the cabin windows with Donnel, their father who they reunited with.

"H-He's injured," yells Robin. "Lissa, now!" she shouts with authority.

The blonde swings her staff as she watches her nephew run in pain, leading the Risen army to their trap. She casts a protective shield around Morgan. "Stay strong, my dear," she cries to herself.

Morgan finally reaches the lake, he sets aside his Thunder tome inside his leather bag, struggling. His feet are sore from the cold, long run but he knows in his heart that he is the last chance Ylisse has for survival. The youngster grabs a different tome from his bag as he reaches the heart of the lake. His body is completely covered in blue, so much so that the shepherds on the other end of the lake barely even see his figure. "It's time to see what one of your tomes can do, Mother." Morgan runs even further into the lake, making sure that all of the Risen are in it. He no longer tries to dodge the projectiles as the shield has everything taken care of.

"It's time," Robin cries. "Attack the Risen in the sky! Fire your arrows, your spells, your spears. Fire with everything you've got!" the tactician screamed from the top of her lungs.

The shepherds snipe the flying Risen off of the sky all their might. Even the ones who are injured did their part and they are able to take down a lot of the flying troops.

Morgan opens the tome his Mother lent to him and he starts chanting.

Inside the cabin, Maribelle's eyes open and they release a blue glow. "She's ready!" Donnel shouts to Robin from inside the Cabin.

"Now Morgan," Lucina whispers to herself, holding her locket in her hands. "You can do it, I believe."

Morgan closes his eyes as he hears the loud chants of the shepherds and the ice, vibrating to the Risen's march. His eyes open wide, and he raises his hand to the skies.

_Step four, channel the strongest spell you can manage with every fiber of your being and break the ice._

"For the Halidom!" the boy cries. He channels all of his energy and all of his anger and desires into the spell. "Arc Thunder!" he shouts, his screams echoing across the fields as a huge surge of lightning comes crashing down from the heavens, hitting the middle of the lake with a roaring clamor. Morgan faints in exhaustion and the frozen lake begins to crack with the magic splitting the thick ice in the middle.

A loud "Arrghhhh!" comes from Maribelle inside the cabin as a flash of light beams through the open window, temporarily blinding all of those who witness it.

Morgan disappears as a huge illumination disperses from where he stands.

Lissa comes rushing into the room to see both his nephew and Maribelle unconscious across the cabin's wooden floor.

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer<strong>: This is a work of fiction based on existing characters and settings from existing franchises. I own none of these characters (unless stated) and they belong to their respective owners and corporations. In no way am I earning anything from writing my fan-fictions. Caitlyn and Edward are sort of OCs but not really. They don't play a big part but I decided to add them for a touching effect. Also, I wanted to have a stand-out representation for all the children that are effected by the Risen's attack.


	5. Author's Update

_Hello there! There are a couple of things I want to address in this update post so let's get started._

_First of all, I'm sorry if it's been pretty long since I've updated my Fire Emblem fan-fiction, The Gifts. I know that it's been more than a month since I've posted a new chapter but it's for a very good reason. You see, I'm currently in my third year of college and I'm in a pretty tough spot. I have a total of five research papers to work on this semester and writing those while trying to consistently update my story is a pretty difficult feat even for a nineteen-year old like me._

_If that's not enough of a pain in itself, my laptop has been acting up lately. I can no longer log into Windows in normal mode, else my system starts freezing and it's not a very pleasing thought for a writer to have his momentum cut off every ten minutes. Not to mention the many times I have had to re-write a few paragraphs because of this problem._

_No worries, however. I found that logging into Safe Mode with Networking allows me to type and browse the internet in safe mode. Given that there are also a few times when the system just shuts down and goes into blue screen, it's better than nothing._

_I am in the pre-final term of my 2nd semester so things are starting to light up as my load becomes more forgiving and as I start getting more used to multitasking._

_All in all, I want to thank you guys for your continuous support and I hope I can make it up to you. In order to do so, I decided to extend "The Gifts". While I am still working on the final chapter to conclude the story, I'm also planning to add an epilogue and a special side story to completely wrap up this series._

_I thank you guys for being patient and I am sorry to say that I will need some more of that patience. Rest assured, however, that I will not cancel or take down the story under any circumstances._

* * *

><p>Things I will be uploading under the series "The Gifts":<p>

**Chapter 4 – A Plegian's Vengeance (Part 2)**

**Epilogue – Into the Distant Future**

**Special – And Then Came the Stork**

* * *

><p><em>After this story concludes, I will release another and this time I plan on it to be a much broader and larger series. With just a few more months until this school year ends, I am also planning to be releasing one-shots as I go on with my main story.<em>

_Thank you very much again and if you stuck around, please continue to do so!_


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